Sunstrider and the Aspects of Life
by Chris Malygos
Summary: Young Sunstrider will find himself in a very entangeled situation with the aspects of life. Sunstrider is a young elven mage who has just passed the test of Magarius. Please plsease rewie me!Please please review me!
1. Prologue

Prologue:

" The orcs don't know the forces they are meddling with! Do they not recall what happened to the ancient Elven city and what danger it brought upon us all when the Quell of Magic exploded!" said the green dragon. The aspects of life where all gathered in the chamber of Fulfilment. The six giant dragons, even giants for their kind, were sitting in the dome shaped cave. In a cave you would expect to find stalagmites, stalactites and the walls would be uneven, but these walls were as smooth as diamond. No spell, claw or pure force was able to neither break even a ship of the cave nor scratch its perfect shiny wall. The legend stated that the Creators of the Worlds came and created this grove themselves. The six aspects were discussing the matter on the Orcs and the dangerous rituals and experiments they were conducting. " More Demons then ever are entering this world. Its bad enough my clan has to keep watch at high peak mountain and now undead and orcs and demons are appearing everywhere.", the ice coloured dragon complained.

"The orcs must be taught a lesson or two in behaviour and the correct use of magic!" the green dragon said. For the first time in the whole meeting Heralia, the red dragon moved and said in a strong and clear voice: " Terrapion, we are here to protect the short living beings and to keep the world in balance. The only time we're aloud to fight is when the world is in danger or if we were attacked we can't just go around punishing beings!" " Well sister in your opinion what would should we do?" Terrapion asked sarcastically.

"The only thing we can do for now is wait and see; if the situation gets to dangerous we'll act." She said. The silken green dragon stirred, her eyelids were shut but it was clear that she could see all of them. "Well we can't just wait for a catastrophe to happen. But on the other hand we can't do anything yet." She said in a dreamy voice. " We will get a couple from my clan and position them so that they can spy and send us report on how the situation is going." Erebus said, "Yes and I will get Zyretherion to ask the human king to send some of his mages to investigate the situation." Heralia said. All the dragons nodded and agreed; so Heralia, Ysera, Magarius, Erebus, Chromasia and Terrapion spread their wings and the gianst flew of to fulfil their jobs.


	2. Chapter 1 A rude Awakening

Chapter 1 

**A rude awakening**

The light slowly crawled into the room from under the curtains. It slowly crept over the windowsill, over the carpet and finally reached the sleeping figure in the bed. Telen turned in his sleep and started murmuring. He had that dream again, the same dream he had for months now. _There was a land, green and flowers. In all the colours one could imagine, blue, red, purple, yellow, green, brown, gold and sliver. But there weren't just flowers, but trees, rivers, birds and animals. The world looked like there never had been such things as elves, humans, orcs or any civilised race. The concert of birds was so beautiful and melodious you could have sat there and never wanted to stop listening. The trees spoke in their own language to each other, talking, laughing and joking. And then there was she again. That green hooded figure with a reptilian like face and constantly closed eyelids started gliding towards him again. Or maybe was she pulling him? Telen felt that she could see him; looking at him and reading him. She opened her mouth as if to start speaking……_

**BANG!**

Telen's door flew open and his best friend Celia stormed into the room. "Wake up, you lazy toad! It's a wonderful morning, I told you, you shouldn't study all night." She said in a loud booming voice. Celia stood her arms crossed and lips pressed together. There was a muffled voice from under the covers "What's the time?" "Well sleepy head it's ten to six" she said with a little grin on her face. "ARE YOU CRAZY?! Today I have my last exam, which is the Arch Magarius test, and you wake me up this early in the morning? ARE YOU MENTAL!?" he yelled at her.

Celia's smile faded a little but almost immediately came back Telen started smiling too. She was pretty. Her hair was black and had dark blue streaks in it. She had rosy lips and a warm smile. Her eyes were jade green and resembled the forest, or when she was angry the ocean just after a storm. She wore blue, black and red robes. The colours for a high arch mage. She whipped her hair around and said in a sarcasm dripping and fake worrying voice: Well I'm not sure if you are that good you know. Someone who's passed their Arch's in Herbology, Arcane arts, Elemental magic, fire, ice, water, air, earth, death, mysteries, Runes, elfish, dwarfish, orcish, dragonish, animalia, plantae, dark arts, light arts, defence against dark and light arts, arcane resistance, arch mage, high arch mage and high battle arch mage. I'm not quite sure if that's going to be enough to be able to pass the Magaria exam. I wouldn't even bother to try and…" she couldn't even finish her long speech because Telen had chucked a huge encyclopaedia after her. She dived out the doorframe and laughed all the way down the corridor.

Telen sighed and started to put his clothes on. He walked over to the washing basin and plunged his face into the cold water, Telen had always liked cold water. After washing he looked into the mirror. Two azure blue eyes looked back at him. If Celia's eyes were amazing then Telen's must have been even more impressing. His eyes were as blue and as warm as the ocean but when he was angry they turned icy cold and whenever it was dark his eyes seemed to gleam in the dark in a blue silvery colour. His hair fell in long blonde cascades over his back. He was rather unusual in the elven community. Telen was part high elf and part night elf. This meant that Telen felt comfortable in the dark and the light, because night elves didn't like the sunlight too much and High elves would prefer to sleep at nighttime. This meant that Telen wouldn't need sleep as much as everyone else. Although Telen loved Magic and all the things about it and that was why he studied here at the academy but he also loved nature. Nature was the one thing Telen valued next to family friends, love and magic. Nature had always been Telen's best friend. So instead of just studying magic he also learned the ways of the shamans and Druids, understanding nature and how it ca help you. He sighed again, glanced around the room one more time.

Once he reached the door he waved his hand and the book flew into its rightful place and the bed made it. He was too nervous to eat so he left for the woods just outside the city where the hidden path of Magarius was located. Telen walked passed the corridors and out the academy and took off on the road to the woods outside the village. This early in the morning there was no one out on the streets so Telen had no trouble in getting to the outside of the village. He walked to the woods and started walking on a side path that was overgrown with plants and ivy. _Will you please make way for me, as I do not which to hurt you._

The ivy shivered and slowly started to wind downwards and make the way free.

He continued walking on the path and went deeper and deeper into the woods until he ended up in one of the deepest parts of the forest. There were no birds chirping and there wasn't any rustling noise from little animals in the Underwood. It was so quite here. There was a giant gate with runes so old that not even Telen could translate them. All Telen knew was that there was a warning not to enter the test if you are not inclined to finish it. To the right were more runes and pictures engraved into the stonewalls. There were pictures of an icy blue dragon and a man in light icy blue robes. "It has to be a tale of the first Magarius mage who lived really long ago and talked to dragons or something." Telen said quietly. There was a sudden muffled noise and the crack of a branch. Telen turned around and saw 33 figures approaching. The other students. Not all of these students were going to pass this exam. The Magarius circle was very picky on who they picked to become one of their own. Except for one student who would have to pass, the girl with the wavy black hair, a terrible arrogant pale face and who's father was an incredibly rich Lord. Felicity Danton bought her way into the school. She was one of the rare cases were she was rich but didn't have much magical talent. She had bought her way through the courses before Professor Sethash became principal. Telen and Felicity had always hated each other. Although her magical senses were quite developed she struggled with easy battle spells. The only thing she could was a strong illusion spell but other then that maybe a perfect hair spell.

She strode next to Professor Sethash who made a sour grimace. He was angry with Professor Blinton to just except her bribe on buying her way through everything. Before Blinton had left he told Sethash that he couldn't let her fail or all the gold will be lost. Sethash disliked Felicity for being such a brat and he was disappointed at Blinton that he didn't tell him the truth that all the gold will be lost for him not the school.

Professor Sethash was the best friend of Professor Zyron. Both of them where Telen's favourite teachers. Sethash was a middle-aged man with dark hair and dark tanned skin. He was very muscular build for even battle mages and Magarius mages. Rumours said that Sethash and Zyron were something more then just human or elf. Even Telen had felt that ancient power that came up ever so slightly when the Professors wove powerful spells. He was wearing a black robe with dark purple streaks running through them and ancient symbols sewn into it that shone in lights purple colour. "My students; today is the day will prove how strong and clever you are." His booming voice echoed across the silent woods. He looked at each student seriously "Some of you won't make it, but I want you to know that when you are in trouble don't try and teleport out. Instead shoot an arcane projectile into the air and we will get you out of the test. Even if you fail this test you still have the chance to try next year and you will keep the title of High Battle Arch mage. Any questions?"

Telen's hand rose. "Yes Telen" "Well Sir, we're around 32 people, how are we going to do our test today?" Professor Sethash's mouth twitched in a slight smile then he said: " The time on the path of Magarius runs different to the time out here and to answer your next question you will go in groups depending on the score you received from the application test at the start of the year and then you will each take a different path. They are all the same just in different order. There is a sleeping room before the second last challenge so that you can rest before the second last challenge. We'll now proceed I'll read the names of the seven first students to enter." He pulled out a long scroll from his robes. " The first Students to enter are as followed: Telen Sunstrider, Viola Woodstrider, Deryl Strantin, Tamara Leaveblade, Kazhan Nightshade, Felicity Danton, Isara Nixon. Please step forward" The small crowd of students stepped forward and anxiously waited in front of the giant stone gate. Professor Sethash held up his palm towards the gate and started murmuring incantations, lifting of the protective charms that kept unaware travellers away from the test as it was dangerous. The runes slowly started glowing and then suddenly the blue light was so intense that some students covered their eyes. The gate bit by bit open and then flew open with a loud creak. "My students, the test will begin now. Good Luck to all of you." Anxiously the small group of students headed for the dark and empty path.


	3. Chapter 2 part 1 The Test of Magarius

Chapter 2 part I

The Test of Magarius

The crowd moved along the curved path. There were no birds singing, no animals scattering in the Underwood. The sun shone dimly through the thick canopy. As the students walked a clearing opened up in front of them. There were 5 paths, each path protected by a colourful aura. Felicity walking at the front of the group said:" Since we all have to choose a different path and I'm the most important, I choose first. Hmmm. I wan the one in the middle!" she stepped forward but before she could take a second step a giant riot broke out. "You are a liar and a stuck up cow!" Kazhan shouted. They all started arguing and shouting at each other. **Idiots**, Telen thought. A blue sphere exploded in front of the fighting students blinding them temporarily. "Now, since we are all sensible and educated people, let's decide in a simpler way. I hope you all realise that we don't have much time. We'll pick our path in ascending order. So whoever's name was called out first will choose first and so on and lets not start fighting like a bunch of Goblins over a shiny coin again." There was a murmur of agreement going around and everyone seemed happy except Felicity. "You just want to pick first you greedy goblin eared freak!" she yelled. A magical fist knocker her back. "Don't you call any of us elves that again you pale faced ghoul!" shouted Viola Nightstrider who's face had taken a dark shade due to her anger. The riot broke out again, **Idiots, bloody Idiots, wasn't one warning enough? **

He approached the path on the right, there was an icy blue aura protecting the path. It spread across the like a huge force field. Ancient elfish runes shone in the force field, Telen wondered how to lower the field and decided the easiest way might just work. "Memories" he whispered. The strong vagrant light started fading. The crowd had stopped arguing and watched silently. Each student slowly walked over to the other barriers and tried to lower their force fields, with varying success. Telen's barricade had at last vanished and before he left he turned and said:" Good luck to all of you." And stepped onto the silent path ahead of him. Telen took a deep breath and started on the path.

The path ahead descended into darkness, the voices of the forest fell silent. He reached a round room or cave. There were dark shadows, there was a sudden movement ahead moving in the darkness. The shadow was big, maybe a little bigger then a tall elf. More shadows started joining the existing one, all with different shapes. The temperature had started to drop as well; it wasn't a nice summer day anymore but a cold winter morning. Telen started readying spells in his mind. Rule number 10: always be prepared. The shadows began to murmur too. Telen knew all of these voices, some were very familiar but others he could have only heard once or twice before. Telen noticed clearer silhouettes but still there wasn't enough detail to make out what these creatures were. Shadow magic and its creatures were ruthless and could strike any moment. Telen shook his head, if these were shadow creatures they would have tried to attack or pull him into a shadow hole. Abruptly there was a giant burst of colour that blinded Telen for several moments. After his eyes had grown accustomed he saw the silhouettes clearly, orcs, trolls, humans, elves, dwarves, goblins, shadow creatures and more all swirled around him. Telen spied castles, forests, schools, mountains, all the places and people he had ever meet where rushing past him. He smelled, tasted and heard everything he had ever tasted, smelled or heard before. Bit by bit the noise died down, smells vanished, colours faded until there was nothing left apart from a silver sphere hovering in mid air.

The sphere started floating away from him; once the sphere reached the middle of the room the silvery fragrance started spreading until it reached the corners of the room. There were three ghostly looking creatures were the sphere just had been. Telen was so amazed at their beauty that he almost ignored the women's song:" Come my little elven boy, we won't hurt you, come closer, come closer, we will take care of you, we won't hurt you we just want your warmth…" a blue flash soared through the air and caught one of the women in her ribs. The atmosphere changed immediately, the women's song changed to screams. "Party is over ladies!" Telen shouted. There faces contorted to grimaces and their screams froze Telen's blood. The colour drained from their faces, only a papery waxy skin was left, their eyes changed to a sickly yellow shine. Before Telen could throw another spell at the banshees, they had changed into three people. He interrupted his spell; he couldn't hurt his mother, his cousin or Celia. "You wouldn't hurt your own mother would you Telen?" his mother asked and started approaching him with spread arms as if wanting to embrace him. He waited for two seconds, which would have been his last if he hadn't broken the charm and noticed the yellow gleam in her eyes. He pushed his arm forward and sent a shining bolt of energy into the mum/banshee. The sphere drilled a fist size hole into her chest where the heart would have been. That made her brake off her stride towards him, but now the other two were closing in. Sword like claws grew from their hands, big enough to pierce Telen's chest and exist on the other side. He drew his staff from his sleeve, unfolded it and made PSI-blades appear from the ends. He dodged the claws that swung at him; he brought the blades up and chopped his cousin's hand off. One of the banshees opened their mouth, but Telen realised too late what was about to happen. She let out a scream that hurled Telen across the room; he impacted into the wall, falling to the ground he dropped his staff.

The banshees flew towards him; he clenched his fingers into a fist and one of the banshees (that had assumed his cousins form) crunched to a ball, her body twisted into a ball of torment. She didn't move after Telen had flung her with the flick of the wrist through the room He fabricated two new PSI-blades, which sprung from his hands. Telen jumped onto his feet, rotated in midair to chop an approaching banshee in half at the torso, her lifeless body collapsing to the floor. Trying to let out a scream, the last banshee opened her mouth. Not going to repeat the same mistake twice, Telen opened his hand and sent an enormous bolt of holy light in the banshee's direction. Once the light reached the banshee, she began to burn, her skin melting due to holy light. The two corpses on the ground turned to ashes as well as her sister that burned standing up.

Sentences started appearing: "Memories are treasures that no one can steal, but can hurt more then a thousand daggers." Telen read out. A door framed on the other side of the room. " Learn from what was taught, now move on!" cam a booming echoing voice, Telen didn't need another warning.

Telen followed a passageway that let out into another glade. There was an elevated patch of grass, forming a little hill covered by shade given of by a giant old elder tree. **An elder tree? What do they do again? Elder bark helps to relax, from its leaves you make sleeping potions and its wood is used for making wands and staffs. Hmmm, it helps relaxing, giving easier access to the green dream.** He moved over, sat down with legs crossed, arms in his lap forming a cup and relaxed. He waited and waited. He was a patient person, but now more then ever he could feel the urge to ump up and do something. But there was a light brush of air on his cheek. He nearly jumped up, ready to hurl spells around the space but was intermitted by a soft chuckle and a unisexual voice said:" I'm the spirit, answer this riddle and you can head for the next test." The spirit didn't wait for a response and moved on:" People think it's a right, they don't value it until they lose it. What is it?" what do people not treasure, even f they have it? Love? Friendship? Or Life? "It is life! People don't treasure and value their life until they either die or come back as undead. They think life is a right, but it's not a right because it can be taken from someone so easily." he couldn't see or hear a laugh, but the spirit let out emotions that made Telen feel secure and happy. "You are right Telen, Life should be treasured, for unravelling my puzzle, I promise if you need guidance I will always be with you. Continue your journey." Telen stood up and left for the pathway that had become visible. The gravel screeched under his boots as he walked.

He continued to the next test and heard the splutter of a little river. It cut across the room. A warm spring wind caressed his cheek and the warm sun warmed his elven skin. Giant and over-towering grew a huge oak tree at the banks of the river. Telen judged that a whole village could have fitted on that tree, having enough room for a big backyard for their house. The water from the river glistened in the bright light, no reflection was to be seen on the mirror like surface, white and pink water roses bloomed and swam on the surface of the river. Too interested in thinking of how to get across the river, he didn't notice the asp that hung from the oak. "Hello, my darlings, trying to crosssss the river are you? Wouldn't try without cracking the riddle, otherwise the guardians of the water won't be too happy with you", the snake hissed and laughed at Telen who had jumped in the air, not knowing that there even was a snake." Don't be ssssscared dear, thissss isssss what you have to do, you have to find the missssing piece that gleamssss sssssso bright, follow it'ssss ssssssong, but let not the chiming of their voices misssslead you. You need this to exisssssst, thissss element isssss one of ssssseven, Follow through the planes of dreams to help you find It." hissed the snake. "So all I have to do is find it? Does that mean IT is an object or artefact? Hello?" Telen turned to face the snake… but it was gone. Examining the tree closer he identified a snake looking tree branch.

**The Plane of dreams. Does he mean the Green dream? It gleams and sings, of what? Is this thing substantial or imaginary? What elements is he talking about? Elements that belong to live? What if the thing is in the water?** Staring at the water, he stretched out a hand trying to touch the water. A cold, slimy and scaly hand shot out of the water, gripping the young mage's arm. Trying to escape the deadly grip, he began pulling; he slipped in the wet dirt and fell to the ground. Yellow piercing eyes looked at him from the river, the hand kept pulling him closer to the edge of the riverbanks. While he was wrestling with the hand, more yellow eyes cam closer. Further grisly hands started emerging from the water. Starting to panic Telen used the first spell that came to his mind. "Tangalar, Lighticerious boltious cloudornum!" nothing happened, a gurgling drowning sound came from the depth in front, they were laughing that his spell hadn't worked, cheered, they couldn't wait for his tender elven flesh. Their laughs adjusted when a yellow-white lightning struck from the skies. The smell of burning and charred flesh was all around, as the lightning smoulder the hands trying to grab Telen, the lurkers shrieks boiled the water, as they died. At last Telen pulled his arm away and sat back, clutching his chest.

"Well… its…definitely….not in the water…", he panted. He watched the water and saw it had resumed its perfectly still and mirror like appearance. "Looks just like a mirror again. Wait, mirror, mirror, Mirrion, Mirrion's theory was that life consisted out of seven elements!" he said excitedly, jumped to his feet, he started brambling "Seven elements make up life according to Mirrion's speculation, but which one is it? The snake said: through the plane of dreams. Dreams, memories and spirits all help but its not what I'm looking for. _A shining beacon yet a dark Abyss that those who don't know what to do will be lost in forever._ Your mind! It's a dark Abyss but a shining beacon and right before it there is the dream layer or plane of dreams.", he looked at the snake branch searching for a response, it moved, looking like bowing in respect. Crashing, the water split in the middle, revealing a passage down a hill. The passage was just big enough for Telen to pass through. He stepped onto the path and started walking downwards, the path was dry although seconds ago tonnes of water had flowed across it. The piercing sun had disappeared and there was a cool mountain wind around him. Telen just walked briskly, thinking of what crazy thing would happen next.


End file.
